Construction season has begun and road improvement projects have started or will be starting soon and these improvements come with added congestion and delay. The Engineering Department and I want to thank the public for its continued patience as work continues to improve the City. Fortunately, the flood is over and we won't have as much congestion downtown, but portions of Main Avenue and 52nd Avenue South are closed to through traffic, but please remember that businesses are always accessible. To stay current on detour routes, business access and all other project updates, visit FargoStreets.com.
It is National Nurses Week, which celebrates the contributions and positive impact of the millions of nurses working in the United States today. Fargo Cass Public Health is fortunate to have a wonderful nursing team who work each day to meet the needs of the community. My wife is also a nurse, so I'd like to thank her for all of her hard work, as well as Public Health's staff.
North Dakota State Park passes are available to check out at the Library. This is an unique service. A limited number of passes are available at all three Library locations. The passes can be checked out for one week and each pass provides daily vehicle access to any North Dakota state park. Additional charges, such as camping, are the responsibility of the pass holder.
On May 13th, eight new officers will be sworn into the Fargo Police Department. They will be attending the summer academy in Bismarck and upon graduation will report back for the Police Training Officer program. Congratulations to them.
Lieutenants and sergeants in Field Services are starting to move upstairs in the BSE station to allow for renovations in their current work area, which will be expanded to allow for future growth at the Police Department as the City continues to grow. Street Crimes, Narcotics and others will also soon be moving into the second floor of the BSE building.
Spring is here and the Forestry Department has started tree planting. Between now and the end of June, approximately one thousand new street trees will be planted. Many of these are replacements for trees lost to Dutch Elm disease and the department’s ash diversification program in preparation for the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer.
In 1990, Public Works Director Dennis Walaker, our former mayor, started the Adopt-A-Street program after the Northside Girl Scouts came to him looking for a service project. Their legacy continues as this spring, Public Works sent contracts to 27 groups, the highest number to date. It is exciting to see how involved youth have become in caring for the community. Contracted areas are cleaned at least once a month, from May through September, and the difference it makes is amazing. The Street Department’s web page recognizes all current Adopt-A-Street participants and the City truly appreciates the efforts of every one of them for helping keep Fargo a beautiful place to live, work, visit and play.
It’s Cleanup Week in Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, Dilworth and Clay County. The annual event cleans up our cities by giving residents an opportunity to dispose of furniture, appliances, brush, household garbage and other large items on their garbage collection day at no charge. For a list of rules that apply to all cities, visit Cleanupweek.com. It's a great opportunity for our residents to have spring cleaning.